Mechanism for feeding conical tubes.



B. W. TUCKER. MEGHANISM FOB. PEEDING GONIGAL TUBES.l

APILIOATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904. 900599, f Patented; Oct. 33,1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. W. TUCKER. MECHANISM FOB. PEEDING GONGAL TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904.

Patmed Gat., 13, w08.

2 SHEEES SHEET 2V 93H3 'his @my ,ms

Algar/4NI 'with the idea-of providing. ,mechanism for` OFFICE* BENJAMIN w; TUCKER, oF NEWARK', NEwJERsEY; A ssIGNoRfro THELAMERIoANToBA-cco ooMPANY, oF NEW YORK, N .=Y.,A coRPoRATioN oF NET JERSEY.. y .l

MEcHANIsM FoRnnEEDINe coNrcAr.. f

' Appiieation'iea Febmary 15,l lena sei-iai No. 193,486.

Specication of Letters P-atent..f

.. Patented oct. 13, isos.`

i To all, it maylconcerm 4 v y Be 1t known that I, BENJAMIN W. TUCKER,

Improvements in Mechanism for Feeding Conical Tubes, fully described andl repre- .sented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, .forming apart of the-same.` l This invention relates to means for feeding successive bunches :of a predetermined `nurnber of nested conical tubes,.such as theconf ical mouthpieces or holders for cigarettes.

lThe invention has been made especially feeding cigarette holders in bunches .of adesired number of holders each; to packing mechanism by which.l the holders are packed with cigarettes. in boxes or packages-fand especially to provide holder feeding ,mechanism adapted to be appliedto the packing l'machine for which an' application for Letters Patent of the United States was `filed by me on the th day` of September, A1902, Serial No. 125,419. ltWill be understood, howover, that features forming thepreseiit inventlon are not limited to use 1n connection' i with or as part of such a machine, but may be employed for feeding other conical tubes or.` in connection with other machinesl to which they, may be applicable.

holder feeding. mechanism generally'and to" By the .machine of my4 sald application packa es of cigarettes are'deposited'in partially ormed boitescarriedbya boxing carrier, anda charge of holders is then deposited in each box beside the package of cigarettes,

and the folding ofthe box is then completed andthe folded box'inserted into. a sheathor tubular cover and delivered from the machine. The holders in'the'inachines'hown in f said application are fed from a hopperor ynumber of'holders'aref-fedfrom the rowof" nested `holders to a"carrier`by`-WlliChfthe l bunches of holders are' deposited in charges: of'two each into theboxes beside the packages of cigarettes. The `present invention alms to'impro'v'e'the provide suclrinechanism to whichfthe hold- 1 ers may be conveniently suppliedby hand.

a full' understanding of the 'invention of a preferred construction embodying the .various features `thereof,. such a, description lwill'now be givenin connection withthe accompanying drawings'v showing a preferred embodiment oftheinvention a' plied to the machine of my said applicationllNo.' 125,419. In said drawings ,-Figue' 1 is a side view partly in 'section'showinglgl'so much of the machineasis reqliiired toi ustrate the present invention. F1 g. 2 is a, section on line 2, of Fig. 1 Fig. Slisfan enlarged vertical view Ataken on line 3 efFig. 2-.` Fig'.` fl is a view taken on'linee-Qof'FigjZu.v s *5 and Gfare detail cross-sectional' views ta enon lines "5 ,can best be giveaby' a detailed f deserip'tien and 6 respectively of Fig. 43. Fig. 7 is a' deey i tail cross-sectional vie\'v"take1'1 on line V"7 .of

Fig. 1 but on thesca'le of FigsjS'to 6.

Referring to t-hedrawings, 150 represents the boxing carrier' by which' the partially folded boxes X each 'wi'tha package" of cig Gatien N0.125',419, the holdersI are-fed to the' carrier in bunches of five each from a channel 222 Yformed in a channel bar 223,' to which channel the row of nestedholders is fed by means hereinafter described. v The bunches of holders are"fedfrom the channel andv deli'ver'ed to the carrier` by means of a feedin "gripper comprisingjal air of spring actuate jaws23'5 carried by a s de 236, said jawshav- "ing access tothey line of holders'through slots in the' channel bar '223.v The-jaws 235 are1' preferably pivotedto the slide and connected l to move` inl unison as' by gear segments, as vshown inFlg'. The-forwardmovement y 'offtl'ie'coluinn of holdersinfthe channel 222 lisc-normally limited bmeans' of-.a pairoff" jaws 238I mounted infsotsin the channel bar A yand"pl ace'd at *right Langles tofthe faws 2,35, and which jaws are normally hel `in ltheir closed positionby means-ofalock plate 240 mounted to have a movement llongitudinally of the channel 222 and havin ano "therein ofra width in one direction suc that lits edgesfwill-bear on the jaws. 238 to close ,the

them when the p late moved toward js and extended in the other direction. suciently to permit the projection of the ends of the feeding jaws 235 therethrough. The plate 240 is carried by sliding rods 241 which are guided by stationary sup orts at the end toward the late and bylbrac ets 243 on the slide 236. he plate is under tension, as by springs 247, `to move forward to release the holding jaws 238, its forward movement being limited by a stop '248, and it is normally held in its jaw closing position by engagement ofthe brackets 243 with sto s v24:9 on the rods`241, as shown in Fig. 4, the

- slide 236 being normally held in its retracted posltion, as shown in this figure. When the slide is in its retracted position, thel feeding. jaws 235 are held slightly apart, as by engagement with shoulders of the channel bars 22.3, as shown in Fig.- 3, to ermit the' feeding v of the column of holders between the jaws..

The slide 236 is reci rocated by means of a lever 255, one armo which is connected to the slide by a link and which may be oscil# lated as described in mysaid application No. es 125,419.

As the slide moves forward, the feeding jaws 235 approach each other as the slide begins its forward movement and. engage the rear end of the fifth holder in the channel,

' 310 the machine being constructed to feed the holders to the carrier inbunches of five, and

thenfeed the bunch of five holders forward and from the channel into the carrier, the

plate 240 having been allowed'to move under the tension of its l springls247 to release the jawsv 238 andpermit t e holders to be. fed past said jaws. The main portion of the column of holders-inthe channel A222 is pre- ,vented from moving forward during the 40 feeding of the first five holders b the jaws 235 by means of -a pair of ivote clamping jaws 261,jwhich as the ysli e 236 begins itsforward movement move inward to engage the sixth holder. The clampmg jaws 261 remain in their clamping position during the.

forward and return movement of the slide,l and are preferably thrown into holding positionvby means of adjustable lugs 263' carried by the slide inf osition to engage the '50 jaws 261 and move t' em into holding position as the slide makes its forward movement and to hold them in such posit-ion during the forward and return movements of the slide, *the jaws being properly formed to engage 5 5 with said lugs during such movements o the slide. When the slide returns to its normal position, the lugs 263 release the'aws 261 yand the latter are then returned to t eir nonoperativey position, as shown in Fig. 4, b means of springs 263g. a

The counting and feeding mechanism, as above. ydescribed and as shown in the drawings, is substantially the same as that shown and described in m said a vplic'ationv No; es 125,419, except the olding-jaws 261, after o erative ppsition by means independent of the lugs 263 have moved out of engagement therewith on the return movement of the slide 236, are moved outward tol their non-y t e slide, at is, by the springs 2632 This change permits the-:extent of movement of the slide to be adjusted without affecting the .movement of the holding jaws 261 to their ynon-operative position.

For advancing the row of nested holders to the channel 222 and through said channel to bring the first five holders of the row into position to beengaged by the feeding jaws 235, there is provided in accordance with the present' invention an intermittently acting 80 and preferably positively gripping and acting feeding means and a non-positive or slip feeding means for feeding the row of holders to said 'intermittent and positive feeding means. For this purpose there is preferably provided an endlessexible band or belt 60() mounted on pulleys 601 and 602 in osition to bring the upper run of the belt in l1ne with the channel 222, and a second endless belt or band 620 mounted on pulleys 621 and 622 in position to bring the upper run of this belt in ine with the upper run of the belt 600. The feeding belt 600 is arranged to grip the row of lnested holders after leaving the pulley 601 and to release the holders before reaching the pulley 6027 and this gripping of the row of olders by the feeding belt is of such character as to provide substantially a positive feeding of the holders; and the feeding belt is moved intermittently to feed the row of holders between each feeding movement of the feedin jaws 235 a distance sufficient to bring the th holder of the row into position to be engaged bythe jaws 235 on their next forward movement. The movement of .the feeding belt between each feeding movement of the feeding jaws is referably such as to advance the row of hol ers a distance slightly greater than the average distance necessary to brin the fifth holder of the row into position to e engaged by the feeding jaws. buch over movement of the row of holders will be taken up by a slight compression or further nesting of the row of holders between the feeding belt and the holding jaws 238, and will ractically insure the fifth holder ofthe' row being always in position for engagement by the feeding jaws 235.v

The feeding belt 600 is preferably formed of an endless eXible band provided in its face with a continuous longitudinal groove ada )ted to receive the row of nested holders an of such size that when the sides of the belt stand in the position shown in Fig. 5, the sides of the groove will grip the holders with sufficient force to insure the row of holders moving with the belt. The belt is preferably formed so that in cross-section it will normally be of the form shown in Fig. 5, and the pulleys G01-and 602 are provided with 13G convex peripheries, or crowned,as shown, so that as-.the belt. asses aboutfthe ulle'ysit Will betransverse y flexedvto en t e groove as shoWnin Figs. `4,and 6. T 1e belt may be formed-of rubber or'any suitable flexible material. It will be seen that as the belt .comes upabout the .pulley 601, its groove IWillbe lopened so as topermit .thefrow of 4nested groove therebyr releasing the row of holders and permitting the holders to lave the belt as it turns about-the pulley 602, the holders being advanced in the line of the upper run of the belt into and through the channel 222. A support 603 is preferably provided to prevent sagging of the upper run of the belt 600; and in order to insure the desired gripping of theholders by the belt, side guides 604 are preferably provided on the support to hold the sides 'of the belt in--position to secure such desired gripping action.

For giving the belt 600 an intermittent movement, either of its supporting pulleys may be rotated intermittently b suitable driving means. As shown, the pu ley 602 is rotatedintermittently by means. of an oscillating lever 605 connected by a ro'd 606 with the oscillating member of a suitable one- Way clutch 607. The lever 605 is shovvn as oscillated against the tension ofa spring 608 connected to the oscillating member of the clutch, by means 'of a cam 609 on the cam -shaft 20. An adjustable connection, as indicatedl at 610, is `preferably provided betweenthe oscillating member of the clutch and the lrod 606 to provide for changing and adjusting the length of the intermittent movements of the belt 600. The belt pulley 601 is preferably carried by an adjustable block 611 to provide for adjustment of the pulley toward and from the (pulley 602.

A support 623 is provide for the upper run of the feeding belt 620,Y and guides 624 are provided extending over the upperrun of said belt to guide the row of nested holders lying on the belt and spaced apart so as to permit the'row of holders to rest on the belt and move easily between them, this belt thus forming a non-positive feeding means for advancing theroW of nested holders to the positive and intermittent feeding means formed by the belt 600. 'The'belt 620 is preferably driven` intermittently in time with the movements of the belt 600 and is given a faster movement than the belt 600.

' As shown, the belt 620 is given its 'intermittent movement by means of a driving belt 625 running on a pulley 626 on the shaft of the pulley 602, an

a pulley 627 -`on the shaft i ing ofsu-ch relative size that the belt 620 ,willbe driven faster than ythe belt 600.

lin-operation the row offnested holders .will extend over the feed belts 600`and 620 and at each movement of the bands the row W`.i1l be advanced a distance sufficient lto bring the' first five holders of the roW'into the place lof. the live holders" which were ad- .,vancedfrom the end offthe r'ovvon 'the prefvious movement of the feeding'jaws 4235. Asthe rear end of the row of holders is advanced vover the belt 620, additional holders are placed on the belt 620 byl the `attendant and nested with the holders already on the belt. The slip feeding belt 620 acts, not

only to support and feed the rear end of the roW of ho ers to the positive feeding belt 600, but by reason of its moving faster than thebelt 600 it acts as a nesting means for insuring the proper nesting of holders placed thereon by the attendant with the rear holders of the row, closing up any looseness in the nesting of the holders.

As the holders areA usually supplied in short sticks or bunches of a number of nested holders, it will be seen that my improved feeding mechanism may be readily supplied with holders by an attendant even when 0perating to supply holders to the packing or other mechanism at very high speed.

It will be understood that the vcounting mechanism may be arranged to feed any des ired number of holders at a time from the end of the row, the length of the intermittent movementsof the .feeding belt 600 being adjusted to corres ond with the number of holders fed from t e row at each movement of the counting mechanism.l i

It will be understood also, that the invenltion is not to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement of parts, as shown, buty that it includes changes and modifications thereof Within theclaims.

What isclaimed is.

1. The combination of feeding means for advancing a row of nested conical tubes longitudinally formed of an endless flexible band provided in its face With a continuous longitudinal groove adapted to'receive the roW of tubes and means for bending said'band transversely to cause the groove to open to receive and discharge the roW of tubes and to close to grip the tubes, means for feeding the row of tubes to said band, and means for supporting the row of tubes as it is advanced from the band, substantially as described.

.. 2. rThe combination of feeding means f or advancing a roW ,of nested conical tubes lon-l gitudinally formed of an endless flexibleband provided 'm its face with a continuous Alongitudinal groove adapted to receive the roW ofl moving et a greater speed than seid band,

and means for supporting the row of tubes as it is advanced from the band, substantially as described.

3. The combination of feeding means for advancing a. row yof nested conical tubes 1oni gitudinally formed of an endless flexible band provided in its fece With a continuous longitudinel groove adapted to receive the row of tubes and means for bending the bend` transversely to cause the groove to open to receive and discharge the row of tubes and to close to grip the tubes and means for driving said 4band intermittently, a. feeding belt for feedfor supporting the row of tubes, as it is adn vence scribed. v lIn testimony Wliereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence' of two subscribing witnesses.

v BENJAMIN W. TUCKER.

Witnesses J. A.. GRAVES, A. L. KENT.

from the band, substantially. as d- 

